


Curses

by MoonlightxStars



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Also Vampire lore is used super loosely, Blood, Enemies directly to lovers, F/M, Flashbacks, I just really wanted to write a vampire au okay, M/M, Modern Setting for rest, Murder Mystery, Reincarnation, Soulmates, There is magic and it's used pretty loosely, True Love, Vampire AU, Victorianish setting for prologue, also a murder mystery, left at the altar stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24815719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonlightxStars/pseuds/MoonlightxStars
Summary: The house had drawn him for many reasons, for one, he had seen it so many times when he was younger, more so in his dreams. He had always woken up in a cold sweat directly after it, feeling as though someone was squeezing the life out of him, trying to get him to pick up the clues in front of him. It was the portrait that ultimately made him want to buy the house. A woman that he sworn he's seen before. He just can't pinpoint where.
Relationships: Barry Bluejeans/Lup, Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone), Lup & Taako (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	Curses

A knock sounded at the door in a very specific way, letting the occupant of the room aware that there was about to be someone intruding, and no doubt flopping upon the bed in the most dramatic ways. Said occupant smirked just a bit, closing the book she had been reading with the spine cracking in a satisfying away of being well-loved. She set it gingerly on her bedside table, careful of the candle that was winking every so often from her open window as it had grown stuffy in the house.

She had not even given the impatient knocker ways of entry before her door flung open with mild difficulty and in charged her brother, still in his formal wear from earlier this evening. He wore a mischievous grin as he looked into her from the doorway, flinging himself on the door to play up the dramatics as he does. 

“Dearest sister, there seems to be a gentleman who wishes to bid you goodnight in private.” He put a hand to his forehead as though he were a fainted lady in the over the top magazine clippings she had seen often put out by men who obviously didn’t understand corsetry. Tight-lancing stole her breath for a minute or two, but other than that, corsets in general were fine, and they soothed her back. Who could ever believe that corsets were essentially death traps? 

“A gentleman, hm? Now what kind of gentleman would be calling on a lady who is already dressed for bed?” Her voice was heavy with teasing as she called out to the “unknown” gentleman that was calling upon her. It could only be one person who was calling for her. She fiddled with the pretty ring on her left ring finger, smirking. 

“The kind of gentleman who can’t wait for his wedding tomorrow.” Called another voice, making his presence known to her. She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the sight of him as she sighed, hand resting upon her cheek. 

“What would your future bride say, Mr Hallwinter?”

The man at the door seemed to ponder for a moment, taking his time with his answer just as she has always loved about him. Her brother made a gagging sound as he rolled his eyes at the both of them, obviously done with wherever this was going. 

“Isn’t there some saying that it is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?” Her brother rolled a bit on the heavy door, making sure he could not see either of them as he did so. She knew that her brother felt that they were more lovesick idiots than the typical to-be married couple. 

“That’s ludicrous and you know it, brother dear.” She stuck her tongue out at him that would’ve had their mother tutting at her for being unladylike. She would’ve tutted if she were not currently six feet under. 

“How do you know it’s ludicrous or not? You’ve never been married before unless you eloped without telling me.” 

“Oh, I was going to tell you sooner, but it had slipped my mind. Alas, my first husband died tragically on our honeymoon.” She placed a hand on her forehead in the most dramatic way possible, her other hand on her chest. 

“Was he quite wealthy?”

“Very much so. I inherited all of his wealth upon his death.”

“You hear that Mr Hallwinter? She’s just using you for your wealth and status. Sleep with one eye open tonight.” Her brother smirked at her as her love shook his head, a solemn look on his face. 

“I do believe the lady must be married to me before she can inherit any of my fortune, I’m afraid. My dear, I regret to inform you but you’re stuck with me for a while longer. I’m terribly sorry, love.” He had put a hand over his heart as he looked down in a comedic sorrowful way. She grinned widely at him as she lounged upon her bed. 

“It is quite all right, my love. Just as long as you put my name down in your will. Then I will be remedied.” She sighed contentedly while looking upon his features, her ears lowering just a bit. “How would you like to go, my love? Just for future reference of course.”

He grinned at her as he took some steps closer to her, his grin growing wider and wider when he drew nearer to her. 

“If it’s too much to ask, sweet lady, could you please have me in an embrace as you drive a silver knife into my aching bleeding heart?” He climbed on the bed, prowling his way over to her. She hummed in response as she crawled over to him, chin up to meet his eyes as he gently cupped her face in his hand. She lifted her own hand to hold his. 

“Alas, my love, I’m so stricken with grief after killing you for your money that I realized that I truly came to care and love you. I don’t know how else to go on but to plunge the same silver knife into my own heart. As our blood mixes into one in their own marriage, my brother gains all the fortune and lives handsomely for all time.” Her lips brush upon her love's lips and she could feel his smile against her.

“Okay, you two are being weird again. I’m retiring for the evening once and for all. I’ll pray to our Lord that you won’t commit premarital sin. You know what happens to sinners.”

“Of course brother. Grandfather would tell us on repeat just what would happen to us if we sinned. Now look at us, though. A sinless life...my have we lost our edge.” She pulled away from her lover’s lips, she would snuff out the candle before they got anymore heated. If it was dark then the Lord would turn a blind eye to it, surely. Besides, they were to be married tomorrow. She had heard from the hushed whispers of servants how other women of her station had committed the act the night before, and they were more than fine.

“Good night, sister dear. Hallwinter, I best not see you in my sweet baby sister’s bed tomorrow morning. You also have to look your best for your big day.” Her brother waggled his eyebrows just a bit and she threw one of her pillows at him. 

“See who’s being strange now! Get you gone already!” Her brother laughed once more as she threw another pillow towards him. He retreated down the hall, not bothering to close the door behind him like the petulance he was. She rolled her eyes. “Good night, Taako!” She hollered towards him. There was no one around to tell her that ladies didn’t holler. She and her brother had sent the servants to bed early that night, knowing that they would have a full day tomorrow. 

Her love got up from the bed to which she whined just a bit, reaching her arms out for him to come back. He chuckled a little at that as he shut her door as quietly as possible. 

“May you remind me where we left off, my lady?” He asked with a knowing smirk on his face. How she wished she could just stand up and kiss that smirk right off his face as he so deserved. She had an image to uphold, though. It had taken them years to even murmur two words to one another without one of them becoming so flustered that they had to take their leave. Even longer for there to be any romantic advances. The proposal took only a couple of months due to her brother pestering, claiming they would both be dust by the time they got around to actually marrying one another. 

“You know how women are. We’re so clumsy with memory sometimes, doctors often call us hysterical,” she could feel her body wanting him more and more with each step he took forward. Her breath was heavy for want, but she stood her ground, not wanting him to think she was so easily swayed. Not that he would ever think that in the first place, though. Her love took another deliberate step toward her, now an inch away from making his way onto the bed. She could feel her body nearly give out with want and anticipation. 

“You tease.” She pouted, putting her hands on the bed that will soon be theirs. 

“I’m the tease? Do you not remember how you taunted me just these past four years?” He held his hand up to his chest in a mock offense to which she turned her lips up in a taunting way. “See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about! You tease me just as much as I tease you, if not more.” 

She could feel a bubble of a chuckle form from how he pinched his eyebrows together and the corners of his lips were pressed down in a slight pout. She crept closer to him, putting a hand on his chest as she was just the right distance away from him to pull him down towards her fully. He let out an alarmed gasp as he was suddenly in the cushions of the grand bed, her hand firmly around his. A moment passed before he was suddenly laughing big bellied, taking his other hand to hold her face. 

“Do I really tease you more?” She asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her love looked into her eyes, and she swore that he looked right into her soul with how his face softened and the pad of his thumb gently caressed her cheek. She wondered how her soul looked to him. Was it big like his? Was it vibrant and alive, especially when she spoke of something that interested her so dearly just like his? Did it look soft and comfortable to lie in to be protected at all times as he was to her? What color was it, she wondered. Surely not his forget-me-not blue that put her at peace so quickly every time he was in the same room as her. She imagined their souls intertwining just as they were right now. How she wished she knew their mix of color that they brought together.

“It’s one of the many things I love about you.” His voice held so much sincerity that she couldn’t help but melt into him, pressing a long awaited kiss to his lips. She couldn’t wait to be his, she felt the flutterings in her stomach as she kissed him, feeling her whole being just ignite into flame. How she felt so safe with him. Nothing was going to separate them, she knew that. She felt so at home with him, the same feeling of home that she got with her brother, something she never expected to ever happen. It was supposed to be just her and Taako for their lives, but somehow, Barry managed to weasel his way into an exclusive party, making a trio out of a duo. It had caught both she and Taako off guard when they realized that even though there was another person, it didn’t feel at all crowded. It felt right. More than right. Meant to be. Barry was meant to be in their family. It fit right in, and more importantly, he satisfied the requirement to be let in. He made both the twins so happy. 

Lup smiled against his kisses, holding him tightly in her arms. She never wanted to know what life was again without his embrace. She couldn’t foresee it. She refused to. She was his and he was hers. His name had been etched into her heart long before she knew him, and hers in his. They fit together so perfectly, that it wasn’t a shock to anyone when they announced their engagement. She could barely wait for tomorrow to get here so she could wake up to Barry’s face every morning, pepper his face in kisses for however long they both lived. And, once they were reunited in Heaven, continue to kiss him for all eternity. 

“I love you,” even to her ears her voice sounded heavy with sap, and perhaps in the past, she would’ve been disgusted with how easily she changed her tune over someone who wasn’t her brother. But now, after years of telling herself no and that she couldn’t have him, she didn’t care. She could have him, and he wanted her. He paused in kissing her and he stared at her, positively glowing with her words. He looked to her as if she hung the moon and stars herself and that she was the most radiant woman he had ever laid his eyes on. She’s never been in love with someone like this before, and she knew that she wouldn’t ever find love like this again in her lifetime. 

“I love you so much, Lup, the Lord as my witness, I will never stop loving you, even in death I will keep loving you.” He vowed, and she felt her heart swelling with the utmost emotion, she was sure her soul was glowing from inside of her, ready to burst from her body if he kept saying things like that to her. Her face broke out into a smile to try to match how her soul felt inside of her, still coming up lackluster compared to how bright her soul felt. 

She hooked her arms around his neck and had him fall on her, kissing him repeatedly to try to measure up how she burned for him. 

Somehow during their dance, the candle was snuffed out, basking them in darkness.

xXx

No one knew what happened in that old house that night. No one knew that the servants had been sent home early that night, they didn’t know that Mr Hallwinter decided to break a tradition and spend the night with his wife-to-be. They also didn’t know that early the next morning, he had slipped out to prepare himself for the day that was supposed to be filled with celebration. No one knew that there was a skip in his step as he left the house quietly to not disturb the sleeping occupants, a smile on his face and a borrowed flower from one of the arrangements in the hall, smelling the flower as he walked his way back home. 

They also wouldn’t know the strange figure that was waiting until Mr Hallwinter was just enough gone to sneak into an open window of the house he just left. No one knew that the figure slipped into the bride-to-be room, and no one heard her choked scream.

No one saw the figure slip out moments later from the same open window, ditching a bloodied knife in the bushes, running off to not be caught by the early risers.

Well, almost no one. 

A lurker had stayed well past his bedtime. The curiosity of what was happening intriguing him too much. He slipped into the bride-to-be’s room to see her covered in crimson red, eyes trying so hard to focus as her breaths were coming out more and more shallow. She would’ve been beautiful had she not been covered in blood. The lurker felt a sorrow for the woman as she struggled to breathe and to stay alive. 

The door opened and in came a man with the same blonde hair and tanned skin as the woman, a sly look on his face that was illuminated by the candle he was holding in his hand. The lurker felt something in his body change just slightly upon seeing him, something he thought had long been stripped away from him. 

“Lulu, I hope your boy is gone because it is time to–” he lost his voice as he finally saw the woman addressed as Lulu covered in blood. His eyes widened in shock, the candle in his hand dropping to the floor. There was a blood curdling scream that didn’t match his care-free voice just moments ago, the candle was snuffed out by the thick carpet, seemingly enhanced with a sort of magic to have it be fire-proof.

The man rushed over to the woman’s side, taking her bloodied body into his hands, not even noticing the lurker in the room with him. The smell of the woman’s blood was filling the lurker with want. He had been distracted by this to not actually feed for the night. Foolish man he was.

The beautiful man was looking around frantically, holding the woman close to his chest. Finally he looked behind him, locking eyes with the lurker. His eyes were murderous, seconds close to ripping out his throat with his bare hands. 

“Did you do this?” His voice was filled with venom, a shiver crawled down the lurker’s back, something that hasn’t happened in a hundred years. He realized that he was petrified of the man in front of him, he hadn’t been this afraid of someone or something for so long, normally it was the other way around. He was suddenly thrown off kilter, he didn’t know what to say to this man. It didn’t matter, because the man was now up in his face, the woman held closely to him. “Answer me, or you will be sorry that you even stepped foot in here!”

The lurker finally found his voice after trying to go through a list of answers he could give to this man in his head, all of them sounding more and more terrible.

“N-no, I did not–”

“Then why the fuck are you in here?” Even when he was snarling this man was still so gorgeous. Maybe he shouldn’t be thinking how gorgeous he was when he was so close to being killed by this man. Or so the man thought he would be doing. There were only so many ways to kill him. 

“I smelled her.”

He decided to go through the truth route. He normally kept his existence under lock and key, and maybe he should’ve just done a showy exit. That’d probably be better than what he was doing now. The sun was going to come up soon, and he wasn’t even invited into this house. That was now slowly creeping into mind. How was he even in this room when no one gave him entrance? Something was going on, he was supposed to be in here he decided. That was the only logical explanation.

 _“Smelled?”_ The man’s eyes narrowed on him. He could feel himself reeling from answering. Was this really the wisest of ideas? Expose himself to a stranger who wants to kill him? Not really. But the lurker really wasn’t thinking like that. Really, he was thinking about how beautiful this man was and he just wanted to lay it all out to him. Maybe he could form a friendship with him.

“It is rather potent.” He gestured to the dying woman, still clinging onto the little life she had left. What was keeping her here? Usually people who have lost that much blood would be in the Astral Plane by now, ready to be carted off to their new eternity wherever that was. 

“What are you?” The man asked, the venom was still laced in his tone, but there was also a hint of curiosity and...hope?

Maybe he shouldn’t be doing this. It was pretty much against every code. Exposing what he was to a mortal? He would have an angry mob marching up to his home in seconds. They would try to destroy him. Setting his home on fire in an effort to purge the sinful creature he was. Too bad it didn’t work like that. Neither did crosses on the door. Mirrors also didn’t really work, he worked hard for his look and he really did need a mirror. 

“I guess a nightmare inducing creature I presume?” Why did his voice have to crack when he was trying to look a little bit more mysterious? Why was this going so south when usually he would have the person groveling for mercy at this point? Why was he acting so impossibly foolish over this beautiful man?

“You don’t look like my Grandfather, so I highly doubt that.” He was rather calm for someone who has seen a bloodied woman, it left the lurker a little uneasy. The man studied him for a moment more, the breaths coming from the woman getting harder and harder to make out. This seemed to get him out of his stupor. She was obviously holding on for a reason. She was fairly young as well. A ring glinted on her left hand in the dim early morning light. Oh. That would keep someone holding on. Perhaps…no, that wouldn’t be wise...but the man obviously cared for this woman and she was holding out for someone...and it wasn’t fair that she was just murdered like this...fuck it. 

“I can help her.” 

“You're a physician?” That gave the lurker a pause. Well...of a sort, but not really? How could he explain that? He decided to be a little cagey. 

“Well, not exactly. But I can help her. With your permission of course.” The man looked down at the woman, her breaths barely there. He was conflicted, that obviously showed on his face. After a moment, he seemed to have made up his mind as he looked at him with determination. 

“What are you going to be doing?” He held the woman protectively to his chest, her right hand flopping down over his arm. 

“I did say I’m a nightmare inducing creature, did I not?” He flashed his teeth at the man, and the lurker saw as he finally connected the dots in his head. His eyes widened as he backed up to the bed, fright clear in his face. Then, he looked down at the woman dying in his arms and seemed to steel himself just enough as he took in a long breath.

“Fine, yeah, you can. But after you do her, do me next. We’re a package deal, I refuse to be separated from her.” The lurker thought for a moment. He also wanted this life? To be with her? He never heard of that before. Normally people wouldn’t let their dying loved ones to turn into a creature like him, much less plead to be taken next. Their bond had to be strong.

“And what of her intended?” He asked, pointing out the ring on the woman’s finger. The beautiful man stared at the pretty ring for a long while before coming up with something. 

“We leave a letter for him. Tell him to meet up with us and explain to him what happened. He’ll commit himself to the life, trust me. He’s crazy about Lup.” The lurker nodded and motioned for him to lay her on the bed again. 

“I have to be honest, I do not know how long it will take her to wake. Her wounds are pretty severe and she has lost a lot of blood–”

“I don’t care. Help her.” The man gingerly laid the woman out on the bed, stroking her hair back with fondness. “Don’t worry, Lu, this man is going to help you.”

And helped he did. 

xXx

He did not know how to feel. He was mixed with sorrow, disappointment, frustration, and anger all boiled into one. He didn’t think that she would do that to him. Not after what they shared together, he knew that she loved him. Saw it in the way she had looked at him, the way she held his hand secretly under the table at gatherings. She had loved him, he knew she did. So why did she leave him standing there in the church all alone? 

He only gave up after the priest, a short man with a long beard and kind eyes told him that she wasn’t coming. That this sometimes happened. To be left at the altar was a sorrowful occasion indeed. Maybe he should’ve suspected something when only her brother was in her wedding party. It would give them ample time to escape and make off with his mother’s engagement ring to pawn off. 

No. He shouldn’t think like that. Lup would never. She was the most genuine person he had ever met. She would never do that to him. If she had her doubts about the marriage, she would have told him in person. She would not have just gone off on her own like that. She would have told him. She would have broken off the engagement months ago, she would not have accepted him in her room just last night. Which meant that something had happened to her. 

No one had seen the twins since last night which was the problem. Their house was empty. When he had asked their servants where they had gone, they told him they had arrived at an empty house and a note addressed to them stating they were all dismissed and money to satisfy all of them. It was quite peculiar they all had recounted. The note seemed rushed, like the lord of the house had not expected to write a note at all. It was also strange because if Taako and Lup had both been trying to make out like bandits then they would have set up something long before. They had shown him the note, and he had to agree with them, Taako’s handwriting was rushed and shaky. Something was wrong. 

He entered their home, everything looking the same as it was when he had left it early that morning. Maybe Lup was sick. Maybe they had to take her to warmer climates due to the chill in her bones. She had seemed fine when he had left her that morning. She even turned her head to kiss him before he left and promised to see him soon. He was cruel to think she would leave him with no word. Something must’ve happened to her. 

He tried her room first, only to find it mysteriously locked. Strange. Lup didn’t typically lock her door. He knocked on it, but no answer came. If her room was locked, did that mean Taako’s room was locked? He turned back and headed to his room, his footsteps muffled on the thick carpeting. He took in a deep breath and knocked on Taako’s door, only to be rewarded with silence. His nervousness rumbled in his stomach as he tried the door, this time it opened with a small creek. 

He stepped inside, the room still warm and the windows firmly closed. His bed was unmade from this morning and the fireplace was out. His evening tea was still on his low table, a teacup on its saucer with a note right beside it. A note addressed to Mr Hallwinter. Barry jumped on it, fingers trembling as he held the precious message in his hands. It was most likely addressed to him formally just in case a servant had caught sight of it. He opened it greedily, hoping to find out where they had gone. The penmanship was quick and hastily done as if it was thought of as last minute.

_Dear Sildar Hallwinter,_

_Go to where the seasons cease, the trees are forever green, and the waters as clear as ever. That’s where we will explain._

_Your dear brother,_

_Taako_

What in the Lord’s ever fuck? What was Taako even talking about? He knew that he only used Sildar once again in case one of the servants caught the letter and decided to read it, and it was probably in a strange code. Still, he called himself his dear brother, Taako still thought highly of him then. Meaning that it wasn’t him that they were escaping from. He was going to find the both of them. He left the house, his pocket holding the letter and set out to find them.

But find him he never did. For years he went and sought out the description his dear brother gave him, only to turn up empty every time. His heart was continuously broken over and over again as he tried with all his might to find his missing love and her brother. He died a lovesick man after years of searching, no one knowing what ever happened to the trio who seemed just so inseparable and why the bride never showed to be married. Her name in hushed whispers whenever one wanted to speak on the subject. Rumors circulated about what happened. That she had a lover on the side and he had finally written back to her. Or that she and her brother simply con artists who did this to everyone. Or that the woman had mysteriously died in her sleep and her brother was covering it up. Truth be known, no one knew what happened, and no one was interested in finding out. They simply just liked to make up stories. And it wasn’t like it was proper to go searching in bushes in the first place.

But what if the dear sir had a clear head before venturing out? Well then, he would’ve noticed that as he passed the drawing room then one of the portraits that normally hung there was strangely missing. The portrait of a young man that looked so much like the woman whose portrait resided next to him normally. He would’ve also noticed that the portrait in which he had stared at so often when he was waiting upon her had seasons ceased, and the trees were forever green, and the waters were just as clear as ever. And if he had looked behind said portrait, then he would’ve seen the much thicker letter drop onto the mantle addressed to a _'_ _Barry Hallwinter_ ’ in quick flowy cursive that was not at all rushed. It was neat and had clear instructions on how to get somewhere, but to first wait for Lup to wake. He would’ve seen that they had left the key to her room in the envelope. 

If only he had just looked. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm finally getting over my writer's block so expect more updates from my other stories soonish!
> 
> Shout at me through:  
> Instagram/Tumblr: MoonlightxStars  
> Twitter: MoonSympathizer
> 
> Also thank u at the Crane Wives for your music.....especially Curses....god what a bop


End file.
